Change-sign device



R. A. WILLISON AND C. N.'ESBERG.

' CHANGE SIGN DEVICE. APPLICATiON FILED SEPT. 25. 1915.

' awue/wbow Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

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MOI/MM o R. A. WILLISON AND C. N. ESBERG.

CHANGE SIGN DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. I919.

Patented Jan, 25, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- wunao R. A. WHLLISON AND 0. N. ESBERG.

CHAN( 5E SIGN DEVICE. APPLIVCATION FILED SEPT. 25. 1919.

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H. A WILLISON AND 0. N. ESB ERG. CHANGE SI'GN DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. I919.

Patented Jam 25, 1921.

R. A. WILLISON AND C. N. ESBERG.

CHANGE SIGN DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. 1919.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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un/tuna 7% WM and exact description 0 UNITED STATES PATENro-mca RALPH A. WILLISON AND CLIFFORD N. ESBERG, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

, CHANGE-SIGN DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern. g Be it knownthat we, RALPH AQWILLISON and. CLIFFORD N. EsBERe, citizens of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Ore on, have invented certain new anduseful improvements in Change-Sign Devices; and we do declare the followin to be a full, clear, F the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to change-sign devices, and more specifically to the class of advertising devices in which the advertisements are displayed respectively on corresponding surfaces of a plurality of prismatic rotors, each sign coming into view and then disappearing as another one of the signs comes into view. I

An object of this invention is to generally improve upon devices of this character by providing an improved, comparatively simple and convenient structure which automatlcally operates to effect the changing of the signs step by step, a complete change of the signs being instantaneously effected at a sirtgle step.

ther objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the following details of description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the complete sign as it ordinarily appears to the public view.

Fig. 2 is a rear view, the rear wall of the casing being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, the section being taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. .2.

Fig. 4 isan enlarged detail view showing more clearly a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view in horizontal section, this view showing more clearly the details of portions of the struc ture illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. '6 is an enlarged detail View in vertical section, the section bein taken substantially along the line 66 0 Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view illustrating aportion of the escapement mechanism in connection with the transmission means.

Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig.7.

Fig.9 is an enlarged detail vlew illustrat- Specification of Letters Patent.

\ Application filed September 25, 1919. Serial No. 326,287.

Fig. 10 illustrates a form of stopping de-' vice used in connection with the escapement mechan1sm..

Fig. 11 is a top plan view illustrating a .modified form of nfeans to connect the prismatic rotors so that they may rotate in unison and in the same direction.

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 11.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference .characters correspond with similar parts throughout-the several views, and in which the casing 1 may be of any appropriate construction and configuration,-

The device includes. a plurality of prismatic sign carrying members 2 each of which is triangular in cross section, and is preferably built up by a suitable frame work and the signs may be painted, pasted or otherwise secured on the plane faces of these prismatic members; it being understood that each of these members may carry a separate sign, but that it is contemplated to utilize the aggregate surfaces of the corresponding sides of the prismatic members for carrying a sign which is much too large for any one of said faces to carry. It is also contemplated to place a strikingly different sign on'each of the surfaces provided by corresponding sides of the prismatic members. As this feature of the device is well known to those familiar with the art, no further details appear necessary.

Each of the members 2 is provided with a shaft 3, and a cam member l is secured on one of the shafts for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. As shown in Flg. 6, the cam 4 is formed with a hub or boss which is secured to the shaft 3, and the member 2 is also secured to the shaft 3 as indicated at 5, and therefore, the members 2, 3 and 4 are r1 idly united to form what will be herein a er referred to as a rotor, and the members 2 and 3 may be considered a rotor independently of the cam 4. The rotors 2 may be movably secured to ether, so as to rotate in unison by means 0 a universal connectin bar 6 throu h the medium of arms 7 whic are pivotalFy connected at 8 to the bar 6 and are secured to the upper ends of the shafts 3 respectively, or else, a train of gearing such as indicated at 9 in Figs. 11 and 12 mayconnect the upper ends of the the corresponding faces of the prismatic tation by appropriate escapement devices,-

members will coincide or lie in the same Eane when in thedisplaying position.

owever, our invention is not limited to these forms of connecting devices.

A combined worm-gear-wheel and springcasing 10 is provided for each of the shafts 3, and each of these members 10 is j ournaled on the lower end portion of its shaft3. A plurality of springs 11 are provided, and

each'of these springs has one end secured to a shaft 3 and its other end secured to the member 10 in which it is seated (see Figs. 5 and 6). The lower end portions of the shafts 3 are journaled in a supporting bar 12 which rests on supports 13 seated on the bottom ofthe casing, and a collar 14 is provided for each shaft 3, these collars constitutingthrust bearings and may have ballbearings (not shown) associated therewith for reducing friction. The upper end portions of the shafts 3 are journaled in a bar 15 which is su ported on brackets 16.

A driVe-sha t 17 is provided with a wormgear-wheel18- which meshes with a worm 19,

the latter being directly connected to the shaft of an electric motor 20. A plurality of worms 21 are secured on the shaft 17, and

1 each of these worms meshes with a corresponding one of the members 10 so as to rotate'the latter about the shaft 3 which supports it. In thus rotating the wheels 10, the springs 11 are tensioned so that they continually tend to rotate the rotors. However, the rotors are normally held against roone of which devices will now be described in connection with Fig. 6. A metal plate or disk 22, which is secured on the bottom of the member 2, carries three casings 23 in each, of which is mounted a bolt or latch 24. These bolts are spring-pressed and normally stand radially outward in position to abut against and be stopped by a stop member 25 which is supported on a beam 26 mounted on the front wall of the casing (see Figs. 4 and 5). Each stop member 25 is provided with a. spring 27 which serves to cushion the shock-of the bolt or latch 24 immediately before it comes mto contact with the stop 25, and this spring. also serves to prevent retrograde movement of the latches 24. A plurahty of trip-members '28 are eachprovided with a head 30 which fits ina recess 29 (Fig. 1d) of the corresponding stop 25, and the laterally extending 30 of each trip member-28 extends across the outer end of the dog-24 when the latter is'seated against,

the stop 25. Therefore, by movin the tripmember inward, the latch 24 isengaged "from .thesto 25janglthe spring 11 is permitted to e ect a rotary movement of. the

rotor. This rotary movement brings another one of the three latches 24 into engagement with the stop 25, and the rotor remains at rest until the trip-member 28 is again operated to disengage the latch from the stop. In order to effect the inward movement of the trip-member for disengaging the latches from the stop 25, each trip-member is pivotally connected at 31 to a slotted lever 32 which is pivotally mounted at 33 on a bracket 34 supportedby the beam 26. A longitudinally movable rod 35 is mounted to slide in bearings 36 on the beam 26, and stops 37 are provided to limit the longitudinal movement of the bar or rod 35. Springs 38 are provided for effecting movement of the rod 35 to its normal position and for holding the rodin this position, and the rod 35 is provided with a plurality of studs .39 which move longitudinally in the slots of the levers 32 so as to efiect movement of these levers and the corresponding members 28. As shown in dotted lines at 40 in Fig. 5, and as shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8, the rod 35 is pivotally connected at 41 to a link 42; the-latter being pivotally connected at 43 to a lever 44 which is journaled on thebeam 26- and extends from the upper side of said beam to and below the lower side thereof. The lever 44 isprovided with an arm 45 which stands in the path of three studs 46 which depend from one of the worm-gearwheels 10. .(It is not essential that every one of the gear-wheels 10 be provided with these studs 46 and the corresponding connections with the rod 35, for the rotors are connected together in unison by means of the rod 6 or wheels 9 as previously described.)

As the studs 46 engage with and swing the cease rotating, a segmental gear member 47 is pivotally mounted at 48 on a standard 49,

thelatter being pivotally mounted at 50, a spring 51 being provided to press against the standard 49 and'thereby push the gear member 47 into mesh with one of the worms 21. A plunger 52 has one end pivotally connected at 53 to the standard 49, its other end being disposed in the path of movement A of the cam member 4, and its intermediate portion being supported by a bearing member 54 in which the plunger 52 slides longitudinally. The cam member 4 comprises three cams, (as shown in dotted lines in Fig.

5), and therefore, as'the cam 4 rotates with movable into and out exact details the shaft 3, the plunger 52 is reciprocated three times for each revolution of the shaft 3, and with each reciprocation the gear I member 47 is ungeared from the worm 21 and therefore, the gear segment 47 would.

be swung through approximately 90 into a position for pushing against an arm 57 of a switchleverwhich is pivoted at 58 and of engagement with a contact member 59, the elements 57, 58 or 59 constituting a switch which electrically con nects to circuit wires 60 which may receive electric energy from any appropriate. source (not shown), these circuit wiresalso being connected to the motor 20 for energizing the same. Moreover, the circuit wires 60 may connect with lamp fixtures 61 so that an appropriate lighting means may be provided when the device is to be used at night. Although we have described this embodiment of our invention veryspecifically, it is to limit this invention to these of construction and arrangement ofparts, but changes may be vmade within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

Whatwe claim as our invention is: g 1. In a change-sign device, a sign carrying not intended 'rotor, a driving means for the rotor, including a drive shaft, an electric motor and a circuit for the motor for imparting rotary movement to the drive shaft including a switch element normally closed, and an actuating element for moving the switch .to an open position upon stopping of the rotor, the actuating element being movably mounted and moving into engagement with the closed switch when actuated from said drive shaft.

2. In a change-sign device, a sign-carrying rotor, means including an electric motor to rotate said sign-carrying rotor, and normally inefi'ective means adapted to be rendered effective by thestopping of said rotor to control the electric current which drives said motor. r

' elastically connected said motor to disable the motor, means operatable by rotation of said motor to render the disabling means ineffective, and means connecting said rotors in unison so that the stopping of any one of the rotors renders the disabling means stops said motor. I v

5. The combination of a'rotor including a cam, a motor, a wheel driven by said motor and being eifective to rotate said rotor, a pivotally mounted gear member adapted to be alternately in and out of gear with said wheel and to be swung by the latter from its.

resting position to a position in which it is effective for stopping said motor, means operatable by said cam to ungear the said pivotally mounted member from the said wheel, and means to return said pivotally mounted member to said resting position when untor-stoppingposition, whereby the motor effective and thereby geared and before reaching the eifective moautomatically stops itself when said rotor is stopped.

6. The combination of a rotor, a wheel to the rotor for rotating the rotor, a bolt carried by the rotor, a stop member in the path of said bolt when the latter is in its effective position for stopping the rotor, a trip member to move said bolt out of engagement with said stop member, a. lever directly connected to said trip member and having a slot therein, a stud slidable in said slot to actuate said lever, a. longitudinally movable bar carrying said pin, a link connected to said bar, a lever connected to. said link, and means carried by said wheel to actuate the last said lever.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

' RALPH A. WILLISON.

CLIFFORD N. ESBERG. 

